Lock The Gate: Another Northern Rivers MP steps up to the plate

 

The Northern Star 4 February 2013

 

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Richmond MP Justine Elliot says she has relinquished her role as Parliamentary Secretary for Trade as it conflicted with her fight to stop coal seam gas mining on the North Coast.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Ms Elliot was stepping down from the position on Saturday during the press conference in which she also announced that Attorney-General Nicola Roxon and Leader of The Government in the Senate Chris Evans would not contest the next election.

Ms Elliot was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Trade after the last election.

 

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"I'll always stand up for locals on the issues that are important to us, like calling for a moratorium on CSG mining in our region," she said.

"In contrast, all the National Party MPs and candidates on the North Coast support harmful CSG mining in our area.

Mrs Elliot said it was time to draw a line in the sand on the environmental issue of CSG mining.

"We know the community's view," she said.

"It is clear.

"Our community does not want CSG mining.

"I call on the National Party state MPs to tell the O'Farrell government that our community demands a moratorium on CSG.

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Coal Seam Gas: NE Queensland and Northern NSW on the international stage

http://youtu.be/amyJVu34G3w

Truth in advertising and the coal seam gas industry

 

So confident is the coal seam gas industry of widespread political support across all three tiers of government and  so certain of the fickle attention span of the mainstream media, that its spokespeople knowingly utter falsehoods as easily as they breathe in and out.

 

They film an industry employee on land they don't have permission to enter in an effort to mislead the general public into believing that the employee is a farmer standing on his own land extolling the virtues of coal seam gas.

 

They make a blatantly false statement in print that has to be rebutted by CSIRO scientists:

 

CSIRO rejects claims made by APPEA regarding groundwater and coal seam gas

 

CSIRO rejects the claim made in a television commercial aired on Sunday 2 September that ‘CSIRO [and government studies] have shown that groundwater is safe with coal seam gas’.

• 4 September 2012

At no time has CSIRO made such a statement, and nor do the results of CSIRO research support such a statement.

CSIRO continues to undertake research to better understand the impacts of coal seam gas extraction on groundwater quality and quantity.

CSIRO has stated on the public record that coal seam gas extraction is likely to pose a ‘low risk’ to groundwater quality through contamination. CSIRO has also indicated that groundwater levels will fall as a consequence of coal seam gas extraction. In some places this could see aquifer levels subside by tens of metres for tens of years; in others it is likely to reduce aquifer levels by several metres for several hundred years.

CSIRO continues to undertake research to better understand the impacts of coal seam gas extraction on groundwater quality and quantity.

CSIRO became aware of the advertisement produced by Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) via a scan of social media on Friday 31 August and requested for the commercial to not be aired.

 

Because of this whatever-it-takes business culture which is loose with the truth, one has to question copies of print advertising the industry has displayed on one of its websites www.wewantcsg.com.au.

 

Who is this woman pictured below? Does she really come from Casino on the NSW North Coast? Is she a genuine school teacher or is she an industry employee or even a paid advertsing model? Is she related to someone who works for a mining company? Is she on the staff of a politician who is pro-coal seam gas?
Does she really want CSG?

Perhaps an NCV reader can answer these questions.

 

Donges does it again

If ever a bloke has a knack of raising hackles and putting whole communities off side, it would be Clarence Valley Council Deputy Manager and Walking Disaster Rob Donges.

Here he is at it again in The Daily Examiner.
 

“GETTING WET: Fry St resident Aaron Hancock took this photo of water spilling into his yard.
 

AFTER witnessing floodwater pouring over the Grafton levee wall into their yards and homes on Tuesday, residents near Fry St were gobsmacked to read it hadn't happened.

One resident, Aaron Hancock, was incensed when a friend pointed out comments from Clarence Valley Council deputy general manager Rob Donges that the water in his yard came from "wave action".

"Water was pouring over the top of the wall until we put sandbags along the wall," he said.

"Then the water looked like it was going to come over them as well, so we put another layer on.

"And we had two big petrol pumps going for four hours to keep the water out of our homes."

Mr Hancock said in addition to the water spilling over the top there was water spraying through seams in the levee wall.

He said water was coming over the wall at about 10 properties from the bridge side of Fry St through to Dobie St.”

The Fry St. levee had begun to buckle under the pressure of flood waters and here's proof the Clarence Valley Review published of the running repairs required to stop it collapsing.

Ethical investors need to be aware of what JPMorgan Chase is supporting in Australia

 

JPMorgan Chase & Co claims to be one of the oldest financial institutions in the United States. With a history dating back over 200 years. It is certainly one of the largest.

 

This wealthy multinational corporation with global assets worth $2.3 trillion asserts; Our integrity and reputation depend on our ability to do the right thing, even when it's not the easy thing.  

 

Further it states that it; believes that responsible corporate citizenship demands a strong commitment to a healthy and informed democracy through civic and community involvement.

 

JP Morgan Chase also has a 100% owned subsidiary, JPMorgan Nominees Australia Ltd which just happens to be the eighth largest shareholder in Metgasco Limited with a 5.4 million share parcel as at 21 September 2012.

 

Metagasco is a coal seam gas and exploration company currently operating on the NSW North Coast in the face of sustained opposition by local communities, such as Glenugie in the Clarence Valley and Casino in the Richmond Valley.

 

In the Lismore local government area alone the September 2012 plebiscite resulted in 86.26 per cent of the 25,595 electors who voted saying “No” to coal seam gas exploration and production in their districts.

 

If JPMorgan Chase genuinely believes in democratic processes and doing the right thing, one wonders why it is financially supporting a coal seam gas mining company with a spotty regulatory compliance history and no social license.

 

If you are an investor trying to act in an ethical manner, then perhaps you need to reassess any financial interaction you might have with JPMorgan Chase.

Remembering the deeply weird side of Mr. Rabbitt - Part Six

Mr. Rabbitt is caught showing his caring side....

*Found on Twitter